this was my middle school song and i cried bc i thought i wouldn't see anyone again
and then i see like 89% of them everyday at high school and wondered why i was so damn emotional
also idk how it works in uk so sorry if this is inaccurate...LOL
__________________________________________
"Are you excited?" Tyler brushes by as I grin up at him.
"I know you are," I wink. Dylan and him went to a college orientation event and it was by sheer coincidence that he found Allison, a shy girl tucked behind the crowd of the campus tour. She had moved to France and decided to move back for college since Harry most likely wouldn't bother her anymore. My heart sinks a bit at what he did in the past.
Not that it should matter. Harry and I are just friends.
"So, you ready?" Dylan joins me on the other side as I get ready for the podium.
"As ready as I'll ever be," I take my seat along people with their last names starting with "G". Niall sits a few rows behind me and I turn around to make a silly face at him while he winks.
We're graduating.
I find my mum and dad sitting in the parents section and Dad gives me two thumbs up as Mum nods encouragingly with her arms wrapped around Dad. My friends are scattered through the crowd, all of us adorned in our burgundy caps and gowns. After the principal speaks for a while, his general opening, the valedictorian heads up and begin speaking. I was offered to do it, but I decided to politely decline, saying someone who actually went here for all four years of their lives should do the honor. I stare down my lap as I listen to Laura talk into the microphone. Ross told me she had a bit of stage fright but she's slowly overcoming it.
"I think too many people hate high school. A place that was just meant for learning becomes a place of bullying and fights. We endure a lot of pain here but is it really the setting or just what's inside? I think our preferences are based on our perspectives and to me, high school is great. I've met so many beautiful people here, so many intelligent friends, and hard-working classmates. And, after these four years, I've learned to grow and let go of things in the past. When we graduate, we're not going to be stuck in what happened, but move on and strive for things to come. So, I hope, as our lives change, we'll be friends forever."
I smile at her words before looking up and seeing everybody getting ready. We turn the tassel and wait for instruction, before throwing it up into the air. My eyes follow my cap, watching it head upwards toward the sky before falling back down gently.
Zac, I've done it.
I suddenly feel arms around me and I press my face into my dad's chest. My mum hands me a bouquet of flowers and they both whisper 'congrats' to me as I savor their warm embrace.
"You look beautiful and by the way, we still want the prom pictures," Anne suddeny joins us with Gemma and she hands me a bouquet as well.
"Thank you and I'm sure you'll get them soon from someone," I laugh and Gemma sighs, "I remember graduation."
"Come on, Harry, get over here!" Anne yells and I awkwardly try to smile as he saunters over.
"Hey babe," he tries to lean in for a kiss but I raise the flowers up so the bouquets act as a barrier between us.
"We just graduated! I think that deserves a celebratory kiss," he pouts and I shake my head.
"We'll hug," I promise and he sighs before handing me another bunch of flowers, "For you."
"Uh, more like Harry didn't want the ones we got him so he gave his to you," Gemma rolls her eyes and I smirk, knowing Harry's attempt at appearing romantic failed.
"Well, we're having that party tonight, so see you," I hug his sister before we part ways. My parents and I had planned to go visit Zac and then get ready for the dinner at the fancy restaurant my mum booked for us.
Harry's POV:
I check my email and smile once seeing that I was accepted. When people start filing into the restaurant, I slip my phone back into my pocket. Selena comes in with her parents on each side, her face nothing but smiles and my heart skips at the beautiful sight. I thought a lot about Zayn's words and I realized that he was right. Selena deserved better, and I want to be that better.
She takes a seat across from me as Niall and Louis sit on either side of me. My mum and Gemma sit on the other end with her parents and Liam and Zayn sit beside her. I wish I could be the one sitting next to her. Eleanor, Perrie, and Danielle sit next to their boyfriends, chatting away and already drinking some of the bubbling cider the waitress brought out earlier.
It isn't long until waiters bring out our orders; we currently are sitting in an sleek, modern restaurant with glass walls and a small garden in the back.
"Selena, congrats on Oxford," my mum beams and her whole face turns a light shade of tickle me pink, the kind of pink that would giggle if pink could speak. As I cut a piece of my steak and take a bite, I notice Chace wipe his mouth before turning his head in my direction.
"Harry, what are your plans?" he politely questions, out of curiosity. I had confided in him earlier that I was trying to get myself a degree in English as well.
"Uh," I clear my throat and set my utensils down, "I'm going to the community college...in Oxford."
I hear a slight clink as metal comes in contact with the ceramic plates. Selena's jaw drops a little as we all turn in her direction, where the noise comes from.
"Um, sorry. Just uh, slipped from my hand," she mutters before continuing to eat her macaroni salad shit. Honestly, I can't believe that fills her up.
"Wow mate! That's amazing," Liam grins at me, reaching over the table to pat my hand and I genuinely smile back. We spend the rest of the time, finishig our meal and sharing small conversation with the people around us. My eyes stay on Selena for the majority of the night and she is mostly quiet, only talking a few times when people direct a conversation towards her. Otherwise, she doesn't start any of her chats.
When we all clear our plates, I decide I want to check out the garden they had.
"Sel, please come outside with me?" she seems hesitant but with everyone staring at her expectantly, she simply nods. I push my chair back and throw the napkin that was on my lap onto the table, reaching for her hand when she comes closer to me. I plan to start first but she beats me to it the minute we walk out the glass doors.
"Why did you pick a community college in Oxford of all places?"
Plants surround us, completely disorganized but the spontaenous locations and unexpected tangle of stems appears refreshing and strangely beautiful. A light up fountain sits in the middle and it looks like that part where the loser got a kiss with Anne Hathaway in that Princess Diaries shit Selena made me watch.
"To be closer to you, obviously," I wrap my arms around her waist.
"Harry," she sighs, "Stop revolving everything about me. Go to a school that suits you completely. This is your life. Live it how you want to."
"I don't care how life is as long as it's with you. You know, you're right. I can choose how to live my life anyway I want it and I just fucking want it with you," I tighten my grip on her, "Don't you get it?"
"Harry, I don't think that's a good idea for either of us," she mumbles and I begin to grow desperate. I'm not losing her. I'm not.
"Wh-why not?"
"We clearly have different plans for the future and it just won't work. We want different things and I'm tired of being heartbroken or used," she reaches up and strokes my cheek, and I automatically lean into her touch, my hand reaching up to wrap around her wrist.
"You won't be used or heartbroken again, I promise."
"How do I know that? What if you do something like before?"
"Sterling's gone, baby. He's dead," I comfort her and she just closes her eyes.
"You still did those things. Sterling just encouraged it but you took the initiative. Look, we can just be friends, okay? You'll always be my friend," she removes herself from my hold and starts to head back into the restaurant.
"Sel! You can't be my fucking friend! I-I can't deal with you just being a 'friend' because it's not right!" I'm breathing heavily.
"Then, I'm sorry," she turns back to shrug at me before walking away again. Fuck, no, I can't lose her.
"I'll marry you!" I scream and she seems frozen in place. My eyes widen after I realize what I just said--I didn't even plan for that to slip out of my mouth. But the more I thought about it, the less I minded. I do want to marry her. I want to see her walking down the aisle towards me. I want her to promise to love me for better or for worse. I want to get to wake up besides her everyday and be able to call her mine. I want to be legally binded to her and I want to spend every moment of the rest of my life with her. It's a given I won't ever feel this strongly about anyone else.
"I want to marry you," I repeat, this time with more confidence.
"What?" she almost whispers when she faces me again. Taking long steps towards her so I can hold her hands, I stare deeply into her eyes.
"You heard me. I want to marry you," I intertwine our fingers.
"Harry--" I cut her off.
"I'll marry you, please? I just love you so much and I can't bear the thought of you not being mine for another second,' I hang onto her grip, delicately and completely caving in to everything she wants. I'll do anything to have her back.
"I don't want you to marry me because you feel like you have to," she tries to slip her hands out but I grasp onto her, refusing to let her go.
"No, I'm dead serious. We'll get married, like right now!"
"Harry, you're crazy," she shakes her head.
"No, I'm dead serious," I watch her surprised face, "we can have kids too. As many as you want just as long as I get to spend my life with you."
She's quiet and I wish I can read her thoughts or see everything running through her mind.
"Really?" her voice is soft and almost inaudible.
"Really. I had been, I am, and I will always be yours. Forever."